Composite panel with insulating insert



g- 23, 1956 E. A. DALY 3,267,626

COMPOSITE PANEL WITH INSULATING INSERT Filed Sept. 5, 19 3 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ll I4 2 2 If g 2| w :0 2

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EDWIN A DALY A T TeX/Vs Y:

Aug. 23, 1966 E. A. DALY COMPOSITE PANEL WITH INSULATING INSERT 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1965 INVEN TOR.

EDWIN A; DALY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,257,625 PatentedAugust 23, 1956 3,267,626 CUMPOSITE PANEL WITH INSULATING INSERT EdwinA. Daly, Detroit, Micln, assignor to Walcon Corporation, Ecorse, Mich, acorporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 306,184 7 Claims.(Cl. 52145) This invention relates to a metal building constructionpanel, and more particularly, to a novel and improved metal buildingpanel formed from two substantially identical roll formed sections.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved metal building construction panel which is preferably made fromsteel or aluminum sheet metal and which may be used in the constructionof either load bearing or non-load bearing walls or roofs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved metal building construction panel which is simple and compactin construction, economical of manufacture, and which may be quickly andeasily assembled in plural numbers to form tpanel assemblies forconstructing building walls and roofs. The panels are adapted to besecured to a building by any suitable means, as by being welded, boltedor screw fastened to the structural steel girders or other supports inthe building. The panels may be insulated and perforated for acousticalpurposes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved metal building construction panel which is formed from a pairof substantially identical roll formed sections provided with similarinterengagable joint means on each end thereof for quick and easylooking connection with complementary joint means on adjacently disposedpanels.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a noveland improved metal building construction panel which in a preferred formmay comprise a part termed an outer section, and another part termed aninner section which is formed substantially identical to said outersection but reversed in position relative to the same. Said outer andinner sections each having end walls, and the end walls on one sectionbeing aligned with the corresponding end walls on the other section andbeing connected together to form a male joint member and a female jointmember on each end of the panel, and said joint members being formed formating engagement with complementary joint members on adjacentlydisposed panels in a panel assembly incorporating a plurality of panels.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will beapparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, andthe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a broken elevational view of an insulated metal wall panelmade in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end perspective view of the structureillustrated in FIG. 1, taken substantially along the line 22 thereof,and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged horizontal sectional view of thestructure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3-3 thereof andlooking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a panel end enclosure plate for enclosing theends 01f the panels of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIG.4, taken along the line 55 thereof and looking in the direction of thearrows;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 4, taken along the line 6--6 thereof and looking in the directionof the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 1, taken substantially along the lines 77 thereof and looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 7, and showing an assemblyof a plurality of slightly modified panels made in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, and showing a further modified panelconstruction made in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention; and,

FIG. 10 shows a modified panel joint structure.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular, to FIGS. 1 through 6,the numeral 10 generally designates an insulated metal wall panel madein accordance with the principles of the present invention. The panel 10is formed from two identical roll-formed sections as more fullydescribed hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, the panel 10 comprises the bottom rollformed section having the bottom wall 11 and the integral end walls 12and 13. The panel bottom wall :11 is provided with a fiat exterior faceor surface in which is formed a plurality of laterally spaced apart,longitudinally extended U-s'haped inwardly extended stiffening beadsindicated by the numerals 14. The end walls 12 and 13 extendperpendicularly or normally, upwardly from the bottom wall 11 and areintegrally joined to the bottom wall 11 at the lower ends thereof by thebevelled corners 15 and 16.

The panel 10 further includes the top roll formed section having the topwall 17 and the integral end walls 18 and 19. The panel top wall 17 isprovided with a fiat exterior (face or surface in which is formed aplurality of laterally spaced apart, longitudinally extended, U- shaped,inwardly extended stiffening beads indicated by the numerals 21). Theend walls 18 and 19 extend downwardly perpendicularly tor normally fromthe top wall 17 and are joined to the top wall 17 at the upper endsthereof by means of the bevelled corners 21 and 22.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the panel end walls 12 and 18 arevertically aligned and are joined together at the inner ends thereof soas to form a male joint member and a female joint member forinterlocking engagement with complementary joint members on anadjacently disposed panel in a panel assembly. The inner end of the endwall 18 is first turned sidewardly inwardly of the panel to form thefirst wall portion 23 of the female joint member. The inner end of theend wall 18 is then folded over and extended outwardly of the panel toform the U-shaped inner end or second wall portion 24 of the femalejoint member. The inner end of the end wall 18 is then extendedoutwardly of the end walls 12 and 18 to form the third wall portion 25of the female joint member. As best seen in FIG. 3, the female jointmember is substantially centrally located in the panel with the femalejoint walls 23 and 24 being parallel to each other. The female jointmember formed by the aforementioned structure extends longitudinally ofthe panel.

The inner end of the end wall 12 is turned sidewardly outwardly of thepanel and formed in a manner similar to the inner end of the end wall18, but in an oppositely disposed direction. As 'best seen in FIG. 3,the inner end of the end wall 12 is first turned sidewardly outwardly toform the first wall portion 26 of the male joint member. The inner endof the wall 12 is then folded over on itself to form the U-shape-dsecond wall portion 27, and thence it is turned inwardly parallel to thefirst wall portion 26 to form the male joint member third wall portion28. It will be seen that the folded over wall portions 26, 27 and 28 areadapted to receive the outer end 29 of the female joint member wallportion 25. A

o a suitable insulation material, as insulating tape 30, is dis posedbetween the male joint wall portions 2'6, 27 and 28, and 29 forinsulation purposes to prevent direct metalto-metal contact between thetop and bottom panel sections. It will be seen that the male jointmember is extended outwardly sidewardly of the panel, and that itextends longitudinally thereof and in a position spaced laterallydownwardly from the female joint member.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the other side of the panel is provided witha similar set of male and female joint members for interlockingengagement with complementary joint members on an adjacently disposedpanel in a panel assembly. However, it will be seen that the positionsof the male joint members are reversed on the right side of the panel,as viewed in FIG. 7, as compared to the positions of these joint memberson the left end of the panel. As viewed in FIG. 7, the male joint memberis disposed in a position offset downwardly from the female joint memberwhile on the right side of the panel the male joint member is disposedin a position offset upwardly from the female joint member.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the panel end walls 13 and 19 arevertically aligned and are joined together at the inner ends thereof toform a male joint member and a female joint member. The inner end of theend wall 13 is turned sidewardly inwardly of the panel to form the firstWall portion 31 of a female joint member. The inner end of the endwall13 is then folded over and extended outwardly of the panel to a pointoutwardly of the end walls 13 and 19 so as to form the U-shaped secondwall portion 32 of the female joint member and the third wall portion 33of the female joint member. The female joint member formed by the lastmentioned structure is substantially centrally located between thesection walls 1-1 and 17 of the panel. The female joint member formed bythe last mentioned structure extends longitudinally of the panel and ina substantially coplanar, horizontally aligned position with the firstdescribed female joint member. The amount of offset between the femalejoint mem bers depends on the thickness of the sheet material used. Forexample, in a panel twelve inches long and three inches thick and madefrom sheet metal .138 thick the center-lines of the female joint memberswere offset from each other about .202 inch.

The inner end of the end Wall .19 is turned sidewardly outwardly of thepanel and formed in a manner similar to the outer end of the end wall13, but in an oppositely disposed direction. The inner end of the endwall 19 is first turned sidewardly outwardly to form the first wallportion 34 of the male joint member. The inner end of the wall 19 isthen folded over on itself to form the U-shaped second wall portion 35and thence it is turned inwardly parallel to the first wall portion 34to form the male joint member third wall portion 36. It will be seenthat the male joint member formed by the folded over end of the wall 19is adapted to receive the outer end 37 of the last mentioned femalejoint member wall 33. A suitable insulation material, as insulating tape38, is disposed between the male joint portions 33, 35, and 36, and 37for insulation purposes to prevent direct metal-tometal contact betweenthe two sections of the panel. It will be seen that the last mentionedmale joint mem- (her is extended outwardly sidewardly of the panel andthat it extends longitudinally thereof in a position laterally spacedupwardly from the female joint member. It will also be seen that themale joint member on the right end of the panel is disposed upwardly invertically offset, parallel disposition, relative to the male jointmember on the left end of the panel.

The aforedescribed panel is generally rectangular in shape and ispreferably made from light-gauge steel or aluminum sheet materialalthough it will be understood that other suitable materials may beused. The aforedescribed panel may be made to any suitable size as forexample, in one embodiment, the panel was twelve inches in width, fromend wall to end wall, and three inches thick. Since the panels areformed from two identically shaped but reversed in position roll formedsections, the length of the finished panels may be made to any desireddimension. The panels may be assembled in a horizontally disposed panelassembly to form a roof deck construction, or they may be disposedvertically in panel assemblies for use as either a load bearing wall ora non-load bearing wall. The material selected for use in the panelswould be selected according to whether or not they are going to be usedfor load bearing or nonload bearing uses.

As shown in FIG. 7, a batt of suitable insulation material 39, as forexample, a one inch thick layer of glass fiber material, may be insertedin a diagonal position in the panel for insulation or acousticalpurposes. The ends of the panel may be closed by a suitable end closureplate generally indicated by the numeral 4t) in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6. Theend closure plate 40 is substantially rectangular in over-all planconfiguration and is provided with the spaced apart longitudinallyextended stiffening beads 41 and 42. The closure plate 40 is provided oneach end thereof with a centrally disposed, inwardly extended recess orcut-out portion, as 43 and 44, for reception of the inwardly extendedfemale joint members. The opposite end portions of the closure plate 40are turned upwardly as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and as indicated by thenumerals 45, 46, 4'7 and 48. The closure plate turned-up portions 45,46, 47 and 48 are provided with teeth on the outer edges thereof, asshown in FIGS. 2 and 4. An end closure plate 40 as described is adaptedto be press-fitted into each end of the panel and the aforementionedteeth will grip the end walls of the panel sections and retain theclosure plate in place.

FIG. 8 shows a fragmentary, end'perspective view of a portion of a panelassembly made with a plurality of the aforedescribed panels in aslightly modified form. The bottom walls 11a of the panels shown in FIG.8 have been provided with perforations indicated by the numerals 49 foracoustical purposes. FIG. 8 illustrates how the centrally dispose-dfemale joint members in each particular panel receive the male jointmembers on the two adjacent panels. It will be seen that the middlepanel in FIG. 8 has its male joint members disposed in the female jointmembers in the left and right panels. It will be seen that the panel topwalls and the panelbottom walls of the adjacently disposed andinterlocked panels are disposed parallel with each other. In thisacoustical panel assembly, the insulation material 39 has been mountedin the top panel section.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, end perspective view of a portion of a panelassembly formed from a plurality of mo-dii lied panels. The onlydifference in the panels employed in the assembly of FIG. 9 is that theouter walls 17b have each been provided with a longitudinally extendedflute or recess 50 along one corner for decorative purposes and theinner walls 11b are not provided with stiffener beads. It will be seenthat variations in the outer and inner walls may be made as illustratedin FIG. 9, but that the male and female joint members on each side ofthe panels are formed in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1through 7.

FIG. 10 illustrates a slight variation in the structure of the malejoint members. FIG. 10 illustrates a fragmentary sectional View of amale joint member, on the left side of a panel, in which the insulatingtape 30 has been deleted. In this modification, the various portions ofthe male joint member are squeezed and clinched tightly together inmetal-to-rnetal contact. The male joint member on the right side of thepanel would also be provided with the same structure. A panel.constructed in this manner may be used without insulation therein toconstruct a strong and light roof deck.

It will be understood that the panels may be provided in any desiredlength depending upon the vertical extent of the structure to be formedtherewith. It will also be understood that the inner and outer surfacesof the panels may be decorated in any desired manner as by painting,papering, veneering, and etc. The joints between the panels in the panelassembly may also be provided with suitable caulking 51 to formeffective weathertight seals therebetween. Experience has shown that aroof or wall may be quickly and easily formed from a plurality of panelsmade in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

It is to be noted that the terms top section and bottom section are usedinterchangeably in this application with the terms outer section andinner section, respectively. The terms top wall and bottom wall are alsoused interchangeably in this application with the terms inner wall andouter wall, respectively.

The novel joint structure of the panel of the present invention resiststhe entrance of water and other weather elements between the panels of apanel assembly. The panel sections are rigidly secured together by theinterconnected novel joint construction on each end of the panel withoutthe need for such connectors as staples and the like which are used inthe prior art panels. It will be seen that the female joint members alsofunction as shelves for supporting sound barrier materials between thepanel sections.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of theinvention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill :the objectsabove stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptibleto modification, variation and change without departing from the properscope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A building construction panel comprising: an inner section and anouter section spaced from said inner sec tion; said sections beingformed from sheet-like material; a longitudinally extended joint meansformed on each side of the panel and extending longitudinally thereofand adapted to interfit with a complementary joint means on a similarpanel when assembled with other panels in side-to-side cooperativerelationship; each of said joint means having a female member extendedinwardly into the panel and a male member disposed parallel with saidfemale member and laterally offset therefrom and extended sidewardlyoutwardly from the panel; said inner section including an inner wall anda pair of integral inwardly extended end walls; said outer sectionincluding an outer wall and a pair of integral inwardly extended endwalls; the end walls on each of the panel sections being extendedperpendicularly inward with the adjacently disposed end walls on eachend of the panel being aligned with each other; the female member of thejoint means on one end of the panel being U-shaped and including a firstwall portion integral with the end wall on the outer panel and a secondwall portion parallel to the first wall portion and spaced aparttherefrom and having the end thereof extended sidewardly outward fromthe panel beyond the adjacent end walls of the panel; the male member ofthe joint means on said one end of the panel being U-shaped andincluding a first wall portion integral with the adjacent end wall onthe inner panel and a second wall portion parallel to the first wallportion and spaced apart therefrom and having the end thereof extendedtowards said last mentioned end wall but stopping short thereof; theU-shaped female member being offset from the U-shaped male member; theopen ends of said U-shaped members facing each other; the outwardlyextended end of the female U-shaped member second wall portion beingextended into the U-shaped member of the male member of the joint means;the female member of the joint means on the other end of the panel beingformed identical to said last named female member but being integralwith the inner panel; and, the male member of the joint means on theother end of the panel being identical to the last named male member butbeing integral with the outer panel; said panel including a closureplate on each end of said panel, said closure plate having frictiongripping means at each end thereof to hold the closure plate in saidpanel, and opposed inwardly" disposed recesses at each end of saidclosure plate receiving the U-shaped portion of said female joint means.

2. A building construction panel as defined in claim 1, wherein: theinner section is provided with a perforated inner wall for acousticalpurposes; and, a sound absorbent material is mounted between the innerand outer sections.

3. A building construction panel as defined in claim 1, wherein: saidinner and outer sections are provided with insulation means therebetweento eliminate direct contact between the sections.

4. A building construction panel as defined in claim 1, wherein: thefemale joint members on the opposite ends of the panel are disposed inoffset, parallel alignment with each other, and said male joint membersare disposed in offset parallel alignment with each other.

5. A building construction panel as defined in claim 1, wherein: saidinner and outer walls have similarly shaped cross sections and are in aplane parallel with each other.

6. A building construction panel as defined in claim 1, wherein: saidinner and outer walls are provided with differently formed profiles.

7. A building construction panel as defined in claim 1, wherein: themale member of each of the joint means includes insulation materialbetween said outwardly extended end of the female U-shaped member secondwall portion and the U-shaped member of the male member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,589,633 3/1952Shepard 52-620 2,899,028 8/1959 Walker 52--579 3,048,244 8/1962 Callahanet al. 52-408 3,080,022 3/1963 Mote 52-407 FRANK L. ABBOTT, PrimaryExaminer.

RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Examiner.

R. S. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PANEL COMPRISING: AN INNER SECTION AND ANOUTER SECTION SPACED FROM SAID INNER SECTION; SAID SECTIONS BEING FORMEDFROM SHEET-LIKE MATERIAL; A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDED JOINT MEANS FORMEDON EACH SIDE OF THE PANEL AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF ANDADAPTED TO INTERFIT WITH A COMPLEMENTARY JOINT MEANS ON A SIMILAR PANELWHEN ASSEMBLED WITH OTHER PANELS IN SIDE-TO-SIDE COOPERATIVERELATIONSHIP; EACH OF SAID JOINT MEANS HAVING A FEMALE MEMBER EXTENDEDINWARDLY INTO THE PANEL AND A MALE MEMBER DISPOSED PARALLEL WITH SAIDFEMALE MEMBER AND LATERALLY OFFSET THEREFROM AND EXTENDED SIDEWARDLYOUTWARDLY FROM THE PANEL; SAID INNER SECTION INCLUDING AN INNER WALL ANDA PAIR OF INTEGRAL INWARDLY EXTENDED END WALLS; SAID OUTER SECTIONINCLUDING AN OUTER WALL AND A PAIR OF INTEGRAL INWARDLY EXTENDED ENDWALLS; THE END WALLS ON EACH OF THE PANEL SECTIONS BEING EXTENDEDPERPENDICULARLY INWARD WITH THE ADJACENTLY DISPOSED END WALLS ON EACHEND OF THE PANEL BEING ALIGNED WITH EACH OTHER; THE FEMALE MEMBER OF THEJOINT MEANS ON ONE END OF THE PANEL BEING U-SHAPED AND INCLUDING A FIRSTWALL PORTION INTEGRAL WITH THE END WALL ON THE OUTER PANEL AND A SECONDWALL PORTION PARALLEL TO THE FIRST WALL PORTION AND SPACED APARTTHEREFROM AND HAVING THE END THEREOF EXTENDED SIDEWARDLY OUTWARD FROMTHE PANEL BEYOND THE ADJACENT END WALLS OF THE PANEL; THE MALE MEMBER OFTHE JOINT MEANS ON SAID ONE END OF THE PANEL BEING U-SHAPED ANDINCLUDING A FIRST WALL PORTION INTEGRAL WITH THE ADJACENT END WALL ONTHE INNER PANEL AND A SECOND WALL PORTION PARALLEL TO THE FIRST WALLPORTION AND SPACED APART THEREFROM AND HAVING THE END THEREOF EXTENDEDTOWARDS SAID LAST MENTIONED END WALL BUT STOPPING SHORT THEREOF; THEU-SHAPED FEMALE MEMBER BEING OFFSET FROM THE U-SHAPED MALE MEMBER; THEOPEN ENDS OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS FACING EACH OTHER; THE OUTWARDLYEXTENDED END OF THE FEMALE U-SHAPED MEMBER SECOND WALL PORTION BEINGEXTENDED INTO THE USHAPED MEMBER OF THE MALE MEMBER OF THE JOINT MEANS;THE FEMALE MEMBER OF THE JOINT MEANS ON THE OTHER END OF THE PANEL BEINGFORMED IDENTICAL TO SAID LAST NAMED FEMALE MEMBER BUT BEING INTEGRALWITH THE INNER PANEL; AND, THE MALE MEMBER OF THE JOINT MEANS ON THEOTHER END OF THE PANEL BEING IDENTICAL TO THE LAST NAMED MALE MEMBER BUTBEING INTEGRAL WITH THE OUTER PANEL; SAID PANEL INCLUDING A CLOSUREPLATE ON EACH END OF SAID PANEL, SAID CLOSURE PLATE HAVING FRICTIONGRIPPING MEANS AT EACH END THEREOF TO HOLD THE CLOSURE PLATE IN SAIDPANEL, AND OPPOSED INWARDLY DISPOSED RECESSES AT EACH END OF SAIDCLOSURE PLATE RECEIVING THE U-SHAPED PORTION OF SAID FEMALE JOINT MEANS.